Exploring Tourism Potential in Muş: Embracing Unique Experiences in an Undeveloped Region

This scientific article explores the tourism potential of Muş, a city in the eastern region of Turkey, facing limited infrastructure and sanitation challenges. Despite these limitations, Muş offers a distinctive opportunity for adventurous travelers seeking authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences. Using a qualitative methodology, through semi-structured interviews, this study delves into the potential benefits and challenges of tourism development in Muş, emphasizing strategies to maximize positive impacts while mitigating negative effects on the local environment and culture. This research aims to highlight the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism in fostering economic growth and community development in underprivileged areas by uncovering the city's untapped potential. Tourists are becoming increasingly demanding as digital transformation brings them closer to everything and everyone, blurring the lines between the virtual and real worlds. However, the unique experience and spontaneous emotions derived from locally existing attractions can serve as a competitive advantage. The slow movement emerges as a balancing process for modern societies to reestablish sustainability values and ideals.